(MENAFN- The Peninsula)
Chinthana Wasala
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The Peninsula
Doha, Qatar: Qatar's Al Arabi will square off against Bahrain's Al Riffa in a crucial Group Two clash of the Gulf Club Champions League at Khalifa Sports City Stadium in Manama today.
Al Arabi will head into today's clash aiming for a victory and the full three points to improve their standing.
Currently, the Qatari side sits in third place with one point, following a 1-1 draw against Qadsia in the opening round.
On the other hand, Al Riffa are placed fourth after their 1-3 loss to Al Ettifaq who top the group with three points.
The two teams last met in 1999, when Al Arabi secured a dominant 5-0 win over the Bahraini club. The two teams were involved in a 1-1 draw in 1998, while Riffa emerged victorious 1-0 in their maiden face-off in 1994.
Al Arabi coach Anthony Hudson will look to address his team's recent flaws and push for a strong performance against Al Riffa, hoping to rebound from their 1-3 defeat to Al Gharafa in the Ooredoo Stars League (OSL) Round 9 clash a few days ago. Hudson will also want his players to push hard in the regional event as Al Arabi look to change the team's momentum, especially after a challenging season that has left them ninth, with only two wins from nine matches in OSL.
"We are prepared for the match despite the absence of some players. I have full confidence in the team. We have enough information about the opponent and will do our best to achieve victory despite the difficulty of the match," Hudson said during a pre-match press conference yesterday.
Al Arabi squad boasts a strong line-up, including a talented midfield spearheaded by former PSG star Marco Verratti, Rodri from Real Betis and Yazan Al Naimat from Jordan, who can play key roles in today's match. However, injury-hit Syrian striker Omar Al Somah may remain sidelined, adding pressure on Hudson and the Al Arabi attack.
In the other Group 2 fixture of the day, Al Qadisiyah of Kuwait will host Saudi Arabia's Al Ettifaq.
The Champions League line-up this year also includes Al Nasr (UAE), Al Ahli Sanaa (Yemen), Dhofar (Oman), and Dohuk (Iraq).
The second-round matches of the Gulf Club Champions League are set for November 5 and 6, with the third round set to follow on November 26 and 27.
The fourth round will take place on December 3 and 4, while the fifth round is set for February 4 and 5 next year. The sixth and final round of the group stage will be played on February 18 and 19, 2025.
The tournament, organized by the Arabian Gulf Cup Football Federation, returned this season after a nine-year break and will continue until April 15, 2025.
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